Disclosure thresholds and amount ranges

Congressional stock-trade disclosures are driven by a reporting threshold and reported in brackets. Basically, transactions over $1,000 must be disclosed, and the filing shows a size range rather than an exact figure.

The reporting threshold

For many filers, a securities transaction over $1,000 must be reported. Smaller transactions can fall below the reporting threshold, which is one reason a disclosure feed is not a complete record of every position change.

How the ranges work

Trade size is disclosed in brackets that widen as the amounts grow. The lowest bracket begins just above the $1,000 threshold. The brackets give you a sense of scale - small, medium, or large - without revealing the exact amount.

What the brackets tell you

Ranges are useful for spotting unusually large trades and for comparing activity, but they are intentionally coarse. Treat them as scale indicators, not precise dollar values, and remember the disclosure shows what was reported, not the full economics of the trade.